Stoned Heart Playlist
by grizzyizanagi
Summary: Millionaire Playboy Dick Grayson enjoys a life filled with drugs and partying as a way to cope, but learns that Love is is a strong drug in itself when he meets a beautiful red-head named Kory. Will he pursue her as a new love, or will current circumstances and past flames ruin his chances with her and ultimately, ruin him?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**: Hey, everybody. Name's Grizzy (on fanfic). This is my first fanfic ever, so go easy, will ya? As you'll see, i also like to incorporate music into my story to give it a sort of soundtrack(mainly due to its title). im open to any suggestions from fans as to what direction the story should go and any constrictive criticism (no hate tho). Thanx

**Warnings**: language, mild drug use (its weed. not that serious lml). bit of sex?

Ch 1

" Hey, you ready yet, princess? We gotta bounce."

"yea you done putting on makeup, Cinderella?"

"yea yea yea, just calm your tits, Vic im almost done! AND SHUT THE FUCK UP, GARFIELD!

it was time again to attend another year at Gotham City University. it was senior year, the summer was over and i was packing my suitcase in my room back at home, ready to blow this joint like an escaped convict. yes, i know what your thinking. "why would Richard Grayson, adopted son of wealthy billionaire Bruce Wayne want to leave such a grandiose mansion with an in-ground pool and tennis court?" well, when your adoptive dad is Gotham's most eligible bachelor and he's dating Selina Kyle, Gotham's most eligible bachelorette, sparks will fly... to the point where you can hear it from the end of the hall. with the door closed. with music blasting. it was horrifying. now I'm not saying i haven't had my share of "fun" in my bedroom, but it was time. the privacy was much needed. along with a good night's fucking sleep -_-.

i was finally packed and walked out of my room and into the hallway when i saw Alfred walking my way. "Master Dick, Master Victor and Master Garfield are both waiting for you at the doorway, but I'm sure they made you VERY aware of that" Alfred stated as a cheeky grin began to grace his face. "Thanks, Alfred. And yes. Yes they did." I chuckled as i put my suitcase down to gave him a strong hug. "Take care, Old Sport. You'll do fine this year." he whispered. He always dropped the formalities when we got emotional. it was always...reassuring. He and I made our way down the stairs and saw Vic, his dad Dr. Stone, Garfield and my dad, Bruce. As we reached the lobby, i greeted Dr. Stone while Alfred took my things to his car since agreed to drive us to GCU. After some more ribbing towards me, courtesy of Vic and Gar, I turned to Bruce to say my goodbyes. "Im sure you're glad to leave" Bruce said with a sly grin immensely similar to Alfred's. "Well, i havent had a good night sleep in ages. Wonder who's fault that is? i said, giving him a leer that could've made the whole room drop 10 degrees just from the tension itself. Unfortunately, being Bruce meant that he was unfazed. He laughed. "I know, I'm sorry".(He really wasn't though. you could see it in his smug smile). He then gripped my shoulders, looked me in the eye and proceeded with "Dad" mode. It was always weird. Like he was trying too hard. "If you ever need any help, you know I'm here for you...Son." Bruce and i never had the strongest relationship, but he really was always there for me when it mattered. i shrugged. "yea, i know." He then pulled me in for the tightest hug possible, cracking every bone in my back in the process. Apparently, all those martial arts and strength training he did gave him unbridled strength. But i did them too. i tried to return the hug with equal force, but ended up with almost no results. After the emotional (and slightly painful) hug-fest, i walked to the Doc's massive Hummer as i waved to Bruce and Alfred one last time before stepping in. it was time to go back to GCU.

i gazed out the window with "Caraphernelia" by Pierce the Veil blasting from my earphones as i adjusted my Ray Ban sunglasses, thinking about what happened last year, what's in store for this year and how quickly i could just skim through another year, hopefully doing as little real work as possible. after all the hell i went through, my mind was made up for only 3 things: girls, partying, and bud. yups, weed. Aside from my friends, Its the only thing that kept me sane. and i needed a lot of it. "hey Vic!" i whispered. "you got the loud?" he instantly stopped mid-laugh in the conversation with Gar and his dad, cheesed and nodded his head in affirmation as Dr. Stone continued to discuss some breakthrough in his research for S.T.A.R. Labs and whatnot. Vic pulled out a small bag stuffed with a leaf green plant with white crystalized fibers. "Silver Haze. To keep u happy". i nodded in satisfaction as i admired the plant-filled baggie before passing it back to Vic. i was ready to be baked after having a dry spell almost the entire summer after keeping a promise to Bruce saying i wouldn't for a while. And when i make a promises, i tend to keep them (with the exception of a couple times me, Vic, Gar and his girlfriend, my "sister" Rachel smoked at the beach). In my defense, we needed it. we had to unwind due to a certain...incident... "i know what your thinking about. your eyebrows do that thing where they get really scrunched up" Vic said, noticing the chagrin beginning to take over my face. i fixed my face and continued to glare out the car window."Well don't say it..."

After an hour or two, we were finally at our destination, Gotham City University. Outside the car i peeped Rachel, a beautifully pale girl wearing her signature black hoodie and matching sweatpants and chuck taylors standing outside with her luggage while waving awkwardly to her father as he stepped into his black Maserati. He was the ruthless CEO of Roth Industries, one of the biggest oil companies this side of Gotham. Considering his busy career, they never were really close and the fact that he was emotionally distant didn't help much either. She even admitted that it was the reason why she was attracted to a vegetarian tree-hugging jester like Gar, who was his complete opposite. As he pulled away, our ride pulled up in front of her. instantly, Garfield started to beam out of the car and bee-lined straight to his, as he says, his Gothic mistress. "BAAAABE!" he goofily yelled embracing her in a massive hug and kissing her as if he hadn't seen her for ages. "hey, Gar? i love you and all, but we were only apart for a week. in the ENTIRE summer. get a grip, love." After grabbing my luggage, i stepped to make my way to someone i considered family. "Hey, Rae" i chimed as she gave me her usual half hugs. "Hey, Richie Rich, how you been?" Then Vic chimed in after waving his dad goodbye "He's been his bitchy self again lately. HAHA!" She looked at me and teased. "lemme guess. Your chicken taste like pork? Are you angry cuz you didn't wake up to a choir chanting your name?" Rachel always loved making fun of me being spoiled, despite the fact that she was rich too. i chuckled and proceeded with sarcasm to match hers. she was the master, but i knew how to hold my own. "your hilarious, Rae. Didn't know Goths had a sense of humor." We all had a laugh and then Vic came in with a reminder. "Well don't worry, we'll get him loosened up at tonight's party. in the meantime, we gotta go get settled." As we walked into GCU, a slight feeling of nostalgia mixed with discomfort hit me as i skimmed over every inch of the spacious area known as the lobby. After a moment, we decided to make our way to our dorm. As we walked up the stairs, i glanced at the trio of gorgeous girls coming down the opposite direction. Vic and i made sure we reciprocated any flirty behavior they showed us. Meanwhile, Gar was trapped in staring contest with Rae, desperately avoiding to get smacked upside his head for rubbernecking in the presence of his girlfriend. As i looked on, i began to convince myself that this was indeed going to be a good year, suppressing any thoughts of old flames and horrible betrayals...

it was 10 o'clock at night. after a long day of settling in and relaxing, it was finally time to get to the welcome back party. i made sure i looked as fly as possible (as if there was any other way) hoping that tonight i could finally let loose, party hard, and then knock out. i decided to wear my black t-shirt with a neon blue bird symbol across the chest, my slightly faded black jeans and black timberland boots and to top it all off, my black diamond chain along with my Ray Ban aviators. yes i like to show off a bit. sue me. i made sure i was going to look my best, regardless of how i was feeling.

after admiring myself for a bit in the mirror, i turned around to see 3 people simply peering at me. Vic, who was in a button down denim shirt, blue jeans and beige timbs with a gold chain, Gar in a purple fitted t-shirt, black skinny jeans and purple converses, and Rachel, who was actually looking decently hot with her body not covered up in baggy clothes, was wearing a tight black tee and short-shorts with black leggings,which all together, accentuated her curves pretty well. yea i know shes like my sister and all but im simply being honest. As i began to stare back they all looked at me in unison and shouted "HI PRINCESS!" "ahahaha... fuck you guys" i mumbled as i instantly shot up 2 middle fingers for all the eyes in the room to see. we then made our way out of the dorm room and down the hall into the party.

The music was... BLASTING! the room was filled with college kids just ready to turn up. as i walked in, i instantly recognized the song. "TURN DOWN FOR WHAT?!" ahhh.. lil jon. not gunna lie, even though i was a fan of all types of music from Avenged Sevenfold and Eminem to The Weeknd and even Mozart, usually any type of EDM was never really my thing . but THIS song? you couldnt help but start to loosen up and dance your ass off. which was what i witnessed from many girls in the party that night. from twerking to grinding and everything in between. i started to make my way over to the dance floor when suddenly... "NUH-UH, brother! you gotta get SMACKED first." it was Victor holding the bag of silver haze from earlier. we made our way to a small coffee table in the back of the room and started to roll a couple of swishers and proceeded to spark them with my trusty lighter (which matched my shirt and was filled with a lot of memories) and smoke the blunts. It was about 15 minutes later that we both finally finished smoking. "Now remember, this shits a creeper, man. so you not gonna feel that shit for another few minutes maybe." "Yea Vic, i know how haze works, bro. Now, im bout to find me some sexy honeys! I think i see that chick Karen Beecher from Chem 101! IM OUT BRO!" I watched Vic go chase down the girl while i made my way to the center of the party. By the time I reached the dance floor, the majority were either high, drunk, horny, or all of the above. i then saw a brunette that looked vaguely familiar. she looked attractive enough so i figured "why not?" she was already entranced by the music so i decided to make myself noticed and caressed her waist as we swayed to the rhythm of the music, (which at this point i barely even notice) not being able to shake the thought of her familiarity. as songs changed and the party continued, my feeling of boredom and depression faded as the euphoria started to set in. before i knew it, i was FLYING! and apparently so was the brunette's libido. after a whole make out session, she adamantly dragged me off the dance floor and into a random room. we started to kiss and touch all over, knocking over anything and everything in sight, before she whispered in my ear 2 words that were supposed to get me going: "Fuck Me." we proceeded to the bed, not missing the lamp on the nightstand on the way, but even in all the "passion", there was one constant thought going through my head: "she reminds me of someone..." Granted i was high, so my brain wasn't working the way i wanted to, so for a few minutes i was giving in to this girl... then it hit me. i tried so much to ignore it, but the thought of it never left my head, even being as baked as i was at the moment. "Fuck!" i pushed her slightly off of me and walked out of the room without a word and found a small couch to sit on. i was sky high yet feeling the worst possible way. it was INFURIATING! a couple minutes later, Vic found me and being the best friend that he is, decided to ask questions. "'Ey, man. whass goin on? why ya' not enjoying the party?" i began to speak not shifting my depressed gaze off the coffee table before me, piled with red cups, some empty, some filled with hard liquor. "i didn't even want to fuck because of her. shes STILL got my mind so fucked up, i cant even act normally with a girl that remotely resembles her... and now, i cant even enjoy my high because of her... I'm so fucked up right now...that fucking bitch...i just cant..." Vic's concerned face turned into a look of sadness... "damn, Z goss you really fucked up..." he slurred in repetition courtesy of the grey goose in his cup. "yea...i know..." Vic gave me a pat on the back before wobbling up from the seat to go party. Later on, after 30 some minutes of drinking mixed with deep and depressing thoughts, i was ready to just leave and ditch the party. as i put my hands on my leg to push up from the couch, i realized it lacked a familiar feeling. i then proceeded to freak the fuck out. "SHIT! WHERE THE FUCK IS MY LIGHTER?" i then began to flip the couch cushions like a psychotic gorilla. just great. FUCKING MAGNIFICENT! as if i wasn't depressed already, i had to go and lose my favorite fucking lighter! FUCKING GR- *light tap*

i turned in a fit of rage only to stop in awe of... this.. girl. she looked incredible. her hair had a beautiful auburn hue and her eyes gleamed like emeralds reflecting off the moonlit sky. the darkness of the room did not do her justice because only so close could you see the perfect tan of her skin like she was born from the sun itself. not to mention her body's every curve being highlighted by the revealing white tank top and matching mini-skirt. but she wasn't just hot. no... no word in the english language could ever sum up what i just saw... but if i had to choose one... astounding.. she was astounding...

"excuse me, would this happen to belong to you?" her voice... like a thousand sirens harmonizing... i snapped out of it when i saw what she was holding. my lighter. "umm.. yes, thank you." "it was my pleasure" she said as she smirked, only slightly showing her perfectly pearly white teeth. as she walked away, i noticed the song playing in the background. "Where to Land" by Travis Garland. With such a romantic song playing, my brain shot out the only thought that would make sense in such an intense situation: DANCE WITH HER! barely a word in edgewise and i was abruptly interrupted by Rachel, Vic and a shit-faced Garfield. "Dick, we gotta go! Gar just tried to pick a fight." i was unfazed yet intrigued. what can i say? drunk stories make me laugh and Gar was the subject of some of the funniest. "Rae, what happened?" Rachel continued looking at Gar ."well he thought he could take this big juice-head like Victor's size, but completely missed the punch and hit the floor head fir-" 'EY, I SSSLIIPPPTT!" Garfield yelled slurring and spitting more than enough grits to feed Oliver Twist. i shook my head in amazement. this guy could never hold his liquor. when my mind got on track to my previous task, the girl was already gone. "C'mon guys. lets go." Vic ordered as Rachel tugged my arm and pulled me under Garfield's to hold him up as we carried him out of the party. "B-But.. the girl.. ugghh.." i muttered looking back. i was pissed.

When we finally got to our dorm room, i helped Gar down onto his bed, then got up to find my own to lay on. As Rachel began to scold Gar over his actions that night, a sobered up Vic came over to me and asked for the last time that night if i was okay. "yea bro, i'll be fine." He nodded in agreement before making his way towards the other two. As for me, i laid in bed. lamenting, even though i desperately wanted to sleep. At first, i thought it was just because i was high. but that was quickly dismissed. because all i could think about was one, specific girl at the party. all i could think about... was THAT girl...how the fuck was i supposed to sleep now?

**Chapter songs**:

"Where to land" by Travis Garland

"Caraphernelia" by Pierce the Veil

You guys should check out the songs i list. Never know, you might find a new favorite artist ㈴7


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Wassup, everybody! This is the latest chapter in the story. Had a bit of Writer's block (i tend to have it ALOT), which is why it took so long. Plus i've been tryna enjoy the summer as much as i can. As for the content, Its kinda short, but this chapter is pivotal to the future development for Dick as well as another obvious female "acquaintance". Sooooo... Enjoy!

**Warngings: slight cursing. Marijuana use.** heh whatever

Ch 2

"Damn... my stomach is killing m-BLEGGHHHHH"

I was still half asleep as I heard the results of Garfield's overindulgence of alcohol last night. As heavy as my own eyes were, I pried them open as I grabbed my phone to look at the time. 12:52 pm. At that moment, I realized how fucked I was. "SHIT! SHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT! IM GOING BE FUCKING LATE!" In a panic, I bolted out of bed and beelined to the bathroom. I quickly snatched the the bottle of Listerine from behind the mirror and desperately tried to gargle the scent of a "fun night" from my mouth. It matched the scent of my clothes, reeking of a beautifully vile mixture of whiskey and haze from last night. Meanwhile in my peripheral vision, all I could see is Rachel rubbing Garfield's back as he turned the toilet water into a stew of hard liquor, nacho chips, and undigested veggies.

"Hey, don't chug the damn thing, Dick. Gar's gonna need some himse-*wretches*- oh my gosh". She flinched at the sight of her boyfriend practically launching his internal organs into the toilet. I quickly spit out the mouthwash, handed the bottle to Rae, grabbing my book-bag, and made my way out of the dorm room, grinning as I spotted Vic in his bed, cuddled up with a random, puffy haired girl from the party. Nice!

It was about 10 minutes past one. Great. I was late. Or so I thought. When I made it into the lecture hall, I was confused, to say the least. The lecture hall was filled with students, but there was no professor to be found. I scoured the entire room looking for a free seat. When I caught sight of one on the other side of the room, I quickly sprinted to the empty seat before any potentially hidden professor noticed I was late...

"You look a bit disheveled" she whispered. I flinched at the sound of her voice as I looked behind me. The girl from the party. "Its you." "Hello again. It's nice to see you" she said. I looked on blankly as she stuck out her hand for a shake. "Surely Richard Grayson knows how to shake hands. I'm sure Bruce Wayne taught you better than that." She whispered teasingly. Shes right. Richard Grayson does know better. Shake it off, Dick. Get a grip! "You're right. Where are my manners? Nice to meet you. And your name i-"

The class door opens. A bald, scrawny man practically floats through. Between his erratic beard and those spectacles that matched his beady eyes, he sort of resembled my assumption of how Captain Ahab would look. "Sorry I'm late everyone. My name is Dr. Hugo Strange. Welcome to Psychology 301. If you would all take your textbooks and open them to page 36, we can get started." He stopped talking and turned to me. He stood with authority as he began to leer in my direction. The fuck was he looking at me for? "Excuse me, young man, but is there a reason why your holding that young lady's hand from behind?" I looked back. She was cheesing awkwardly. "Oh." I let go. I look forward. He's staring demandingly. I look around. EVERYONE IS STARING. "No sir." I slouched. No, there is not. He smiled cunningly. As if he planned my embarrassment himself. "Right then. On to the lesson."

It was about twenty minutes into the lesson that I began to get bored. I know. I promised myself that I would try and focus on my work, but between how exhausted I was and how embarrassing that last moment was, the last thing i could do is focus. Speaking of which, that moment was because of HER! I turned my head ever so slowly, trying not to catch any more unwanted attention. I looked at the girl. She looked on to the front of the class, her eyes focused on the lesson. She was being a better student than I was. All right. Can't afford any more distractions. Time to focus.

Forty minutes later. The bell starts ringing. I copied the last of my notes while the professor continued to scribble on the board erratically like a deranged madman. At least I understood some of it. Then Dr. Strange began to speak. "As you leave, I want you to pick a partner and discuss and research a psychological disorder and pinpoint someone who would be diagnosed with that same disorder. To make it interesting, you may pick any character, whether fictional or non-fictional. Either way, in one week, I expect a standard oral report with a two-page analysis from both partners. Double space. Times New Roman. Font 12. You know the drill. Ah, and Mr. Grayson, perhaps you should use THIS opportunity to get acquainted with Ms. Anders, rather than during my lectures, yes? " "Right, sir" I replied curtly, then began to piece together that he was talking about the girl from the party. A light tap hit my shoulder. Her again.

"Excuse me, but perhaps we could start working on our project tomorrow night." She suggested. "Sure, I guess that sounds good" I replied, looking on tiredly. It was obvious that I would be exhausted this week, and all she was ready to do was work. Doesn't she have Summer-lag or some shit like that like the rest of us? She smiled softly. Her smile. Wow. Shes looks amazing. Even in purple slightly oversized graphic tee and gray sweatpants, she was still a knockout compared to every girl in that room. Especially with her hair cascading over shoulder. And those bright green eyes... Damn, she's pretty. WAIT! DAMN IT! Grip. Get one. She pulled out a card and started scribbling on it as she spoke. "I know it seems a bit rushed, but I would just like to spend some time with..." She paused. "I...mean get this out of the way as soon as possible." She chuckled shyly. Was she... Did she just..?

"I understand there's a biannual carnival happening here in Gotham? It seems like a good, relaxing setting where we could discuss the project while having a bit of fun, too. I have to get to my next class. Till then, Mr. Grayson." She winked as she handed me the Gotham Fall Carnival ad card. I turned the card around seeing a phone number and a name. "Korina." I looked up. Gone. Again. Of course. DAMN IT!

"Ohhh Shit! Mah son's gettin back in the game!" Victor cheered as he gave me dap and passed me the blunt of purple diesel. Victor, Gar and I were in the dorm room relaxing and smoking. "Nah, bro. It's nothing like that. We're just workin on the project and then after that we might play a few games or go on some rides." I reiterated. He laughed. "Yea and then you'll give somethin else to ride on, right? HAHA!" Vic bellowed. He and Gar started rolling with laughter. I chuckled as I shook my head, taking another puff. Victor sure knew how to roll killer blunts. He also knew how to exaggerate a very simple idea. It's one of his perks. It'll help him be a great inventor someday like he wants to be. But for now, he was just being my funny best friend. Our door opened slightly as Rachael slipped through, trying to avoid getting any smoke out of the room that might alarm any of the residents that patrolled the halls. Not the cool guys like Donna and Wally, who've been so chill about the smoking to the point of helping us get weed when we were low, and even sticking around to smoke some, even while on duty. Not them. Its guys like Connor Kent, who kinda freaked out one day cuz he couldn't handle his bud, and tried to snitch on us. Not that it worked, of course seeing as my adoptive father Bruce makes consistent contributions to GU and even helped the remodeling of the left wing of the school, resulting in him having a hall in his namesake. In short, it wouldn't be good to stress his son over weed, right?

"I bought the munchies. Vic, you owe me." she teased. "And what's with all the commotion?" Rae questioned. "Dicky's got a daaate, Dicky's got a daaate!" Gar and Vic sung. "Bite me!" I laughed as I grabbed a bag of Doritos and chucked it as Vic ducked and watched it smack Garfield square in the face. All the while, Rae stared at me with concern. "Already? Are you sure you're ready for another serious girl?" I understood her concern. Especially because of the past. "No, its not like that. We're just workin on a project and its happens to be at the carnival. No biggie." "It just HAPPENS to be at a carnival?" She asked, with a voice infliction that made me flinch like a little kid being yelled at by his mom."Weeeeellll, she suggested it. Almost insisted" I replied. She chuckled. "Sounds a bit romantic if you ask me. But whatever. Who is this chick, anyway?" I pulled out the card with her name and number. "Don't really know. I peeped her at the party the other night. She found my lighter. Her name's Korina or something and-" Rae glares intensely. "Wait. Shut up a sec. Her name's Korina? Korina ANDERS?" "Ummm...yupps" I whispered hesitantly. Rachael always had a tendency to make me nervous. She then pulls out her phone as we all peeked over her shoulder as we took puffs of the blunt. "This is her, right?" She shoves her phone in my face. I see a pic of the same red-haired beauty from the party and my class. "Yea thats her. Why?" I asked. "My dad does business with her dad. She stated. I looked on curiously. "Business? The hell do you mean?" She then proceeded to read the caption from the article where the picture came from. "Korina Anders, 19, successful model, aspiring businesswoman and FUTURE HEIR OF THE TAMARANIAN EMPIRE AND TAMARAN INC, the strongest empire and the the biggest corporation in the eastern hemisphere!" I proceeded to take the biggest pull from the blunt as Garfield proceeded to say the words that would be in my head all night: "Duuuuuude. You're goin out with a princess..."

**Chapter song**: Brightest Green by Anarbor. This song basically describes how Dick acts around Korina, with lyrics such as "...shes got the brightest green ive ever seen, never seen these eyes before..." And "..my heart's givin in to my eyes..". Check it out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note**: Sup everybody? Sorry for the wait but chapter 3 is finally here! Unfortunately, I had a bit of writer's block. Did not know how to execute the next chapter in the story. And then the other day, I just wrote it. And it came out great. Hope you all enjoy!

**Warnings**:Cursing. Drug and substance abuse references.

Ch 3.

"...Dude, youre dating a princess."

I stared at the picture on the phone as Gar's words reverberated in my head. The girl that i was partnered up with was bona fide royalty. Not like me and Rae who are simply just the children of wealthy billionaires. Okay, fine. We aren't just THAT, but the girl...Korina... She was legit royalty. What was she doing here? Granted, aside from the Ivy Leagues, Gotham University is one the best colleges in the country. But I knew for a fact that Tamaran still had exceptional schools, despite what happened to the lot of them after the civil war. So what led her here?

"Well that's... Something..." Vic uttered as I finally snapped back to reality after that surprising discovery. "So now what?" He asked as I turned to face him, still processing the news. "I'm not sure..." Then Rae gave me the best "what the fuck" face I've seen in a long time. Even better than that meme.

"What do you mean youre not sure? From what you told us, she's seems a normal chick, and you said this isn't a date, so you treat her normally. Don't be a you, Dick."

Her quips were always backed by the most obvious, yet enlightening advice. This wasn't a big deal, so I shouldn't have reacted as such. But there was just something about her...

*6 days later*

"Yo, we leaving or nah? Imma be down at the lobby with Kay, Rae and Garfield."

"Yea, I'm almost done. I'll meet you there."

I answered Vic as I began to put on my blue hooded shirt. I was getting dressed for the Gotham Fall Carnival, and fall means one thing: SWEATER WEATHER! Granted, it was still pretty warm out since we just came from the summer, but since the carnival started at 5 in the evening, it was best to prepare for the night's chilly weather.

*bing*.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket to see it light up from a received text: _**Korina**__: dont 4get to bring ur research. See u by the ferris wheel. _

After adjusting (and admiring) myself in the mirror, I quickly emptied out my book-bag and stuffed 3 days of psych research into it before bouncing to the carnival.

As I left my dorm, my eyes met with a plethora of pretty girls. As charming as I was, after reaching the end of the hall, a thought emerged: they were average compared to her. WHOA! Where did THAT come from? Yes, sure, she's pretty... I mean, her hair...and those eyes... NOPE! Grip! Need to get a grip. This is just a study sesh...

After the battle with my inner thoughts ended, I finally met with Vic and the others at the lobby of the west wing. As I walked over, Vic stood up and started.

"Aye, Dick, lemme formerly introduce you to Karen Beecher. Karen, meet-" "Richard Grayson." she interrupted with a sultry voice. "Nice to finally meet you." I shook her hand as she extended it. She was a beautifully curvy girl with dark chocolate skin and jet black hair styled into two puffs on the top of her head. Vic sure knew how to pick em. "Same here. So Vic, you finally brought Karen around. Good shit, bro."

"Yea, he finally grew the balls to ask me out last week at the welcome back party. But anyway, we ready to leave yet?" Karen chimed. "Someone's eager." Vic teased at Karen with a flirty grin. "Well Im eager to ride...the ferris wheel with you" she teased back with a wink. Gar began to applaud. "Such pervy-ness. She'll fit in great" he laughed.

"Cmon guys, lets get going. Wally says the place is getting crowded so, it'll be hard to-

Gar: "HA! Hard!"

*smack*

-to get on any rides. We gotta leave now." urged Rachel as Gar recovered from a light chop on the chest, courtesy of Rae.

We all took the Gotham metro-line to the carnival to Robinson Park. As we disembarked from train, I noticed Karen conversing jokingly with Gar and Rae, so took the opportunity and I made my way toward Vic to clarify something that was sorta bugging me. In a whisper:

"Yo Vic, wasn't she the one laid up with you in bed after the party? She let you hit that soon?" He looked at me with a face made to make you believe in what he was about to say:

"...Nah bruh. She's too good for that. She's making me work for it, and I respect that about her. We just chilled and talked about shit. She's mad cool. Shit, I might even fall for her."

Wow. Aside from me and Bruce, the biggest playboy I know is now actually willing to get into a relationship. Maybe this was a sign. That I should open up a bit more to the idea of actually being with someone. Maybe...

We finally arrived at Robinson park, I quickly glanced to the left of me and spotted a scrawny red-head running towards our direction. As loud as he could, he yelled "DICK MUTHAFUCKIN GRAYSON!

So I reciprocated, but with less volume. "Wally Muthafuckin West. How you been, man?"

"You already know, bro, Stylin' and profili-"

"Okay, just stop, Wally. Hey guys."

A voice said and with it a smiling face emerged. Donna Troy, a slender but stunning brunette who had a always had a stern look on her face, but was actually really easy to talk to when you got to know her. Following her was the bane to mine and probably many other people's fun: Connor Kent. A tall and physically fit guy, who seemed like a he was a chill high school jock, but was really a narc. And unlike Donna, his stern face matched his attitude. But, nonetheless, it was no time to be childish. So I simply looked at him and greeted him like a man.

"Connor."

"Dick." He responded.

But not like he was saying my name, but more like he was calling me one. Nonetheless, I ignored it as we all continued to greet each other and proceed to the line for the ferris wheel. I peered ahead to see how long the line was and there she was. Standing at the end of the line wearing a purple hoodie, matched with purple chucks and a pair of gray jeans that accentuated her already visible curves. She was nodding her head to a tune that grew more recognizable as I got closer to her. "Julia" by Sza. In the midst of her nodding, she turned her head, pulled off her earphones and instantly she started to beam a pure white smile and proceeded to give me a...hug? Ooookay... Then started the intros.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Korina Anders, but you can call me Kory." Then Garfield blurted out teasingly with a wink. "Oh we know who you are, princess!" I stared at her pale-faced at my friend's idiocy before proceeding to introduce everyone else.

"Right. Korin-uh-Kory, this is Vic, Karen, Donna, Wally, Connor, Garfield and Rach-"

"Rachael Roth! Of course! How could I forget? Our fathers did business together. It's unfortunate that we weren't able to spend time together. I hope now I get to spend more time getting to know you!" She cheered. And surprisingly, like a miracle, with all her positive energy, she caused Rachael, the most sullen of us all, to crack a smile. She bore her teeth and laughed. The whole nine.

"Yea, I'd like that too" she said as we all stared at the rare scene before us, well aware that it may never happen again.

Still in shock, I mustered up words to get my point across. "Um... Well, Kory and I have to get some of this project done, so..."

"What's the rush, Richard? It's only 6 o'clock. We have loads of time to start discussing our project. Let's have some fun! Ive been dying to go on this ferris wheel and I let so many people skip waiting for you. So come on, let's focus on the fun first, yes?" Korina exclaimed.

"Yea sure, of course. Lets have fun..."

Insert fun montage here. After hours of riding on the ferris wheel and eating loads of junk food, including corn dogs and cotton candy, playing carnival games and even winning a few prizes for Korina, including a plush toy of an mutant silk worm she decided to call "Silkie" (Whatever. Not gunna judge ?) and everything in between, Korina and I decided to separate from the group and take a few minutes to get working on the basis of our project.

"Thank you so much for Silkie. He's so adorable."

"My pleasure" I said with an endearing look.

"I guess we should start on our assignment now. Let's go sit on that bench over there" she suggested.

"Isn't it a bit far from the crowd?"

"Don't worry, they'll be fine. Besides, I would rather have some alone time with you. Get used each other." she stated with a smile. So without a word, we walked over to the nearest bench.

"Okay, so I researched this Arkham Asylum patient that had various symptoms of what seems like schizophrenia or a sort of Anti-Social personality disorder.

*bing*

Don't really know his name-

*bing*- ummm... but he has many aliases: Jack Napier, Melvin White, but mostly likes to call himself "The Jok-*bing*- uhh... You gunna take that?"

Korina frantically grabbed her phone and stuffed it in her bag. "I apologize, Richard. Please excuse me. My boyfriend and I are in the midst of a fight, so he's taking the opportunity to swarm my phone with angry texts. But please, continue."

"Didn't realize you had a boyfriend. Thats...great. Mmmhmm..." I awkwardly stuttered. Right, cuz how great is it that she has a boyfriend and- wait... Is she crying? "Kory, you okay?"

*sniff*

"Yes, I'll be fine. Thank you.

"You sure? Cuz we don't have to-

"N-no, no. It's fine, its nothing..."

Even if her argument were more convincing, I still wouldn't have let up. I hate when people are hurting so Ive always been one to want to help. And those tears of hers weren't exactly helping her cover up her emotion. She seemed like she trusted me, so I took her hand in mine to assure her. "It's obviously not fine. Talk to me. Please..."

"...I'm...not..."

"Not what?"

"...happy. I'm not happy. Not anymore."

I gazed in shock. Someone who showed so much excitement and enthusiasm throughout the night and to the point of making Rae smile isn't...happy? But then I realized, even the people who seemed happiest had a chasm filled with sadness and darkness inside them. They go about wearing these masks of happiness to conceal their pain. Vic and Rae with the loss of their mothers. Garfield, the clown that he is, lost his parents. Bruce and his parents...even myself...

"Richard?" Korina whispered as she stared back at me." ...Right. I'm sorry. We shouldn't..."

"I'm not happy, either..." I whispered. She stopped as we continued to gaze at each other. Our eyes creating somber looks on our faces as we began to explain the roots of our pain...

She started. "Lately, my life has seemed like a wreck. My entire country was caught up in a war with a foreign country just to find out that the trigger of that very war was my very own blood. My own sister, Amanda. Then to have to have my parents make my sister go into exile and to ensure my safety, relocate me here. It was too much. I began a seemingly endless cycle of drinking and consuming prescription sleep medicine to help me fight the night terrors I had of the war. To be blunt, i was broken... Then I found my boyfriend, Roy...

"As in, Roy HARPER? Oliver Queen's successor?"

"Yes... When I was suffering, he helped me. He helped pay for my rehab and made sure I was going to my A.A. meetings. He was my rock. The only thing that made sense. That is, until he got put in a higher position at Queen Consolidated. Now he's around less and every time we DO spend time together, he's either angry, tired or just wants sex... which is ironic because I know for a fact that he's been "relieving his tension" with other women, when he's not taking drugs... He's not the same anymore...In fact, he's becoming like how he was before Mr. Queen found him...

"So why do you stay with him? He's obviously not being faithful or respectful, so-"

"Obligation."

"What?"

She blankly stared forward. "A sense of obligation. He helped me through my painful times. I can't give up on him... I have hope that I can change him back to the way he was before. He can change... I know it... She stated in a faltering voice.

"...How much faith do you have in that last statement?" I asked her that because it was a question that I had often asked myself. In my periphery, i noticed her head turn as spotted the chagrin beginning to consume my face. I knew all to well what it was like to feel hopeless...Broken...

"So tell me. What broke Richard Grayson?" She queried.

I looked on as everything I buried deep inside started to resurface. All the loneliness, pain and suffering.

"Where do I start? Perhaps with my parent's murder at the whim of a mob boss, which was covered up and deemed an accident due to "unstable zip lines."

"Right. You and your family were "The Flying Graysons. I truly am sorry for your lost. I can't imagine losing my parents the way you did."

"Yea...the fucked up part is that I don't think anyone who was involved will find justice. That didn't stop me from trying though...

She looked at me with a concern for my safety and a look of despair at my words as I continued.

Luckily, Bruce saved me from that darkness and before I knew it, I was his adopted son. But I never thought that my life would ever make sense again after it changed so drastically. Eventually, I opened up to Bruce, as he knew exactly what I was going through. I also found my friends. People who knew what I was going through as much as I did. I never thought I'd feel so loved since my parents died. For a long time, I was happy. Then I met my ex-girlfriend... At first, all she did was make me happy. We enjoyed each other thoroughly and I thought she was perfect. Then she got...unstable. She got caught up in her success, and long story short, she betrayed and abandoned me. I have never loved another girl since...

"...what was her name?" Korina questioned.

"..."

I sat silent. Staring ahead. Resurfaced memories consuming my mind. It wasn't until later that I realized what Korina was doing. I glanced somberly to the side as I saw her pull out her phone. She gave a slight grin as she began to speak.

"I want you to hear this song. It's a song I play when I am feeling hopeless and unloved." She clicked the play button on her touch screen. In that instant, I recognized the song.

"It's called "Child's Pla-"

""Child's play" by Sza. It's a favorite of mine." I grinned slightly. We became quiet and still as we enjoyed the beautiful melody and words echoed from the phone's speakers, straight to the last line, a line that spoke to us both:

_**...Memories keep playing back, all nights we used to love**_

_**Just wondering how we used to was, how we used to was...**_

"I used to think I needed professional help in order to deal with everything...That I would eventually develop a psychological disorder as a result of the turmoil that occurred in my life..." Korina whispered as I observed her features. "But perhaps we are just children who had to grow up to fast. Clinging on memories of when we were able to actually be children...Innocent..."

Her words: Full of wisdom and beauty. Like someone fighting to not lose hope in her life. Her face: complete with gleaming jade eyes reflecting the moonlight in a stunning effect. Her beauty...almost seemed impossible. I couldn't resist, and from what I saw, neither could she. We drew closer and closer as the song ended... Our lips barely colliding...

*RING RING RING*

She stopped to look at her phone. An audible sigh of disappointment escaped us both as she noticed who it was. "It's Roy... Hello?"

As a loud voice began to blare from the phone, it was then that I began to see to a certain extent how much of a dick he was and how unhappy Kory was. Hearing things like "why aren't you home" and "I told you" this and that. He had no remorse for how controlling he was. Then Kory started to quickly pick up the scattered research documents we brought and her bag and began to storm off.

"Wait! What about our project?"

She moved the berating voice from her phone away from her ear as she whispered. "I truly apologize, Richard. I'm sorry, I have to go...

She scurried off with her bag before she thought I would I notice, but unfortunately I did notice. I noticed the tears beginning to spill out of those beautiful, emerald-like eyes... I saw the eyes of a girl-no, a woman-hopelessly searching for solace...a woman fighting to keep hope alive...

**Chapter Songs**: "Julia" and "Child's Play" by Sza. Beautiful artist. I used her songs to express Korina's mindset and ultimately who she was after her tribulations. Check those songs out.

BTW: shouts out to misophoniac. Thanks for love and "Caraphernelia" is one of my favorite songs in all of existence, as well. Thanx for the review. Share with ur friends


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